Metal panel fence



July 1962 A. NAYHOUSE ETAL 3,045,976

METAL PANEL FENCE Filed March 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS' JaA/NJ. 4a/vc 0'0 Auneso IVA YHOl/J 77/0/1445 mean/Keen July 24, 1962 FiledMarch 17, 1961 A. NAYHOUSE ETAL 3,045,976

METAL PANEL FENCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN TORS A 4 F260 M4 w/ows,72/0/1445 :emvmser;

JOHN J 1.0?

United States Patent Oilice 3,645,976 Patented July 24, 1962 3,045,975METAL PANEL FENCE Alfred Nayhouse, 566 Bigelow St.; Thomas Frankert, 34Sunrise Drive; and John J. Long, 521 Sleepy Hollow Road, all ofPittsburgh, Pa.

Filed Mar. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 96,537 Claims. (Cl. 25624) This inventionrelates to the general field of enclosures, barriers, and similarstructures and, more specifically, the instant invention pertains tofence construction.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a metal fencehaving the basket-weave configuration, the fence comprising a pluralityof separable units which may be connected together in any desiredarrangement, and wherein each of the units is made of a relatively lightdurable material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a Woven metal fence ofsuch type as to provide the user of privacy if so desired.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a woven metallicfence which may be effectively employed in the checking of drifting sandor snow.

-A further object of this invention is to provide a fence which may befabricated in a shop and easily erected in the field by unskilled labor,thereby providing a fence which is economical to manufacture andinstall.

This invention contemplates, as still another object thereof, theprovision of a woven sheet metal fence which lends itself well to massproduction.

As still another object of this invention, it is proposed to provide awoven sheet metal fence of such construction as to reduce to a minimumthe possibilities of injuries to livestock and persons.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a woven metallicfence which has an esthetic appearance and one which may be constructed.of a selected one or a plurality of colors, if desired.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a fence which, tothe casual observer, appears to be substantially solid while actuallypermitting circulation of air therethrough.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a woven metallicfence which is non-complex in construction and assembly, inexpensive tomanufacture and maintain, and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the instant invention willbecome more evident from a consideration of the following specificationwhen read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View of a woven stiff metal fenceconstructed according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view, partly in cross-section, of the fence shownin FIGURE 1, FIGURE 2 being taken substantially on the horizontal planeof line 22 of FIG- URE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail crosssectional view, FIGURE3 being taken substantially on the horizontal plane of line 3-3 ofFIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view, FIGURE 4 beingtaken substantially on the vertical plane of line 44 of FIGURE 1,looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating detailsof the fence construction.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeraldesignates, in general, a basket-weave strip metal fence constructed inaccordance with the teachings of this invention. The fence 10 is seen tocomprise a plurality of preferably, factory or shop, prefabricated units12, and wherein each unit 12, at its opposed ends, is adapted to beconnected and supported on and to extend between a pair of substantiallyhollow tubular normally upright fence posts 14 formed of aluminum orother suitable galvanized metal. As is seen in FIGURE 1, a pair ofadjacent ends of the fence posts 14 are inserted in the ground 16, whiletheir respective other ends are capped at 18 to prevent accumulation ofwater, dirt, dust and other debris from accumulating therein.

Each of the units '12 comprises a pair of vertically spaced andparallel, longitudinally extending, hollow tubular top and bottom rails20, 22 which also may be formed of aluminum or of a galvanized material.The confronting sides of each of the rails 20, 22 are formed with aplurality of axially spaced and confronting pairs of openings 24, 26which serve a purpose to be described.

Each pair of aligned openings 24, 26, respectively, receive therein theopposed ends of a plurality of spacer rods 28 which extend transverselybetween the rails 20, 22 in longitudinally spaced relation relativethereto and in parallel relation with respect to one another.

As is seen in FIGURES 1, 3, 4 and 5, a plurality of vertically spacedstrips or panels preferably formed of aluminum are designated at 30,each panel being passed over and under each adjacent pair of spacer rods28 in the conventional basket-weave style, and with each immediatelyadjacent ones of the panels 30 engaging the rods 28 tangentially ondiametrically opposed sides thereof.

The ends of the panels 30 adjacent each of the ends of the rails 20, 22are substantially flush one with the other, these ends are adapted to beconnected with one another and with the rails 20, 22 to form thesubstantially rigid unit 12. To this end, a pair of brackets or clamps32 are provided, the clamps 32 each comprising an elongated angle memberhaving right angularly disposed sides 34, 36.

The adjacent ends of the plurality of panels 30 are engaged against thesides 34 of a pair of clamps 32, each pair of the latter being ofopposite hand, after which elongated substantially rectangular clampingjaw 38 is superimposed against the exposed sides of the opposed ends,respectively, of the panels 30, and thereafter, bolts 40 are passedthrough openings 42 formed in the sides 34 of the clamps 32, and throughthe openings 44 and 46 formed in the ends of the panels 30 and clampingjaw 38. The sides 34, the ends of the panels 30, and the clamping jaw 38are drawn together by threading the screws 40 into the nuts 48.

It will be observed that the opposed ends of the rails 20, 22 are cappedas at 50, and the caps 50 are secured there to by means of thediametrically extending bolts 52 together with their respectivecooperating nuts 54. The caps 50 and the adjacent ends of the rails 20,22 are, of course, bored at diametrically opposed points 56, 58 and 60,62 to receive the bolts 52 therethrough.

As is clearly shown in FIGURES 1 and 5, the remotely disposed ends ofthe side walls 34 are cut away as at 64 whereby the ends of the cap 50may be made to abut against the side walls 36 adjacent the upper andlower ends thereof. The caps 50 are welded at 66, 68 to both of the sidewalls 34 and '36, or are otherwise fixedy secured thereto.

From the foregoing description, it will now be appreciated that a rigidbasket-weave type fence panel unit 12 is obtained through the practiceof this invention. The panels 30, being formed of aluminum, may becolored through the process of enamel baking, and the coloring may rangethrough a large variety.

Each panel 12 may have any desired length and heighth depending entirelyupon the size of the area to be enclosed and, of course, the utilitarianpurpose for which the area is to serve.

As is seen in FIGURE 1, each panel 12 is supported between a pair ofadjacent fence posts 14 by means of bolts 70 which are threaded thereinand which extend transversely through the side walls 36 atlongitudinally spaced intervals thereon.

Having described and illustrated this invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and thatthis invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A metal fence panel unit comprising a pair of laterally spaced andparallel, longitudinally extending rails, a plurality of spacer membersextending between said rails and connected thereto, said spacer membersbeing parallel to each other and being longitudinally spaced relative tosaid rails, a plurality of elongated strips of substantially rectangularmetallic panels, said panels extending over and under each adjacent pairof said spacer members with each adjacent pair of said panels engagingsaid spacer members on opposed sides thereof, and means connectingtogether the adjacent ends of said panels and said rails to form saidfence panel unit, said means comprising an elongated element extendingacross said adjacent ends of said panel on one side thereof, a secondelongated element extending across the opposite side of said adjacentends of said panels, and means extending through said panels andelements to draw said elements together and clamp said adjacent ends ofsaid panels therebetween.

2. A metal fence panel unit comprising a pair of laterally spaced andparallel, longitudinally extending rails, a plurality of spacer membersextending between said rails and connected thereto, said spacer membersbeing parallel to each other and being longitudinally spaced relative tosaid rails, a plurality of elongated strips of substantially rectangularmetallic panels, said panels extending over and under each adjacent pairof said spacer members with each adjacent pair of said panels engagingsaid spacer members on opposed sides thereof, means for securingtogether the adjacent ends of said panels, said means comprising anangle member having a side wall thereof engaged by one side of the endsof said panels, an elongated substantially rectangular clamping jaw, andmeans for drawing said clamping jaw against the other sides of saidpanels whereby said panels are rigidly connected, one to the otherbetween said side wall and said jaw.

3. A metal fence panel unit comprising a pair of elongated hollow tubular rails, said rails being parallel and laterally spaced relative toeach other, a plurality of substantially cylindrical spacer rodsextending between and connected to said rails, said rods being disposedin parallel relationship relative to each other, a plurality ofelongated substantially rectangular metallic panels woven between saidrods in a conventional basket-type weave, means clamping and securingtogether the adjacent ends of said panels, and means for securing saidclamping means with the opposed ends of said rails.

4. A metal fence comprising a pair of spaced, normally upright fenceposts, said posts having a pair of adjacent ground-engaging ends, saidposts being formed of a pair of elongated substantially hollow tubularmembers, said posts each being provided with a cap at the upper endthereof, a metal frame panel unit extending between and secured to saidposts, said unit comprising a pair of vertically spaced, elongated,substantially parallel top and bottom rails, a plurality of elongatedsubstantially cylindrical rods extending between said rails and disposedin longitudinally spaced relation relative thereto, .a plurality ofelongated substantially rectangular metal strips woven between said rodsin a conventional basket-weave, said strips having colors suppliedthereto, an angle member for each of the respective adjacent ends ofsaid strips, said angle member having one of its sides disposed injuxtaposition relative to the ends of said strips, an elongatedsubstantially rectangular clamping jaw, said clamping jaw engagingagainst the other sides of the ends of said strips, means for drawingsaid clamping jaw towards said angle member, and means for securing saidangle members to said posts.

5. A metal fence comprising a pair of spaced normally upright fenceposts, said posts having a pair of adjacent ground-engaging ends, saidposts being formed of a pair of elongated members, a metal frame panelunit extending between and secured to said posts, said unit comprising apair of vertically-spaced, elongated, substantially parallel top andbottom rails, a plurality of rods extending between said rails anddisposed in longitudinally-spaced relation relative thereto, a pluralityof elongated substantially rectangular metal strips woven between saidrods in a conventional basket-weave, said strips having colors appliedthereto, an angle member for each of the respective adjacent ends ofsaid strips, said angle member having one of its sides disposed injuxtaposition relative to the ends of said strips, an elongatedsubstantially rectangular clamping jaw, said clamping jaw engagingagainst the other sides of the ends of said strips, means for drawingsaid clamping jaw toward said angle member, and means for securing saidangle members to said posts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,636,189 Louden July 19, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 451,371 Great BritainAug. 5, 1936 566,485 Belgium Apr. 30, 1958

